Reviews

“Best of all were Rebecca Ryan’s various roles, wherein she actually manages to change her voice from the bell-like doll Olympia to the innocent Antonia and dark Giulietta.”Four Heroines: The Tales of Hoffmann / Mid Wales Opera / Opera Now

“Resourcefully designed by Anthony Baker, neatly conducted by Keith Darlington and enthusiastically performed by an admirable young cast (among which Rebecca Ryan excelled in Olympia’s coloratura), this is a hugely enjoyable staging, alive to all the ambiguities and resonances of a weird, flawed masterpiece.” Four Heroines: The Tales of Hoffmann / Mid Wales Opera / The Daily Telegraph

“…Rebecca Ryan was most impressive. Her Olympia had clock-work precision both in the mechanics of the doll’s movements and her showy coloratura. As Antonia, she produced a richer overall sound but always with a lovely ring at the top and with a touching ebb and flow of her breathing to reflect the illness with which Antonia is afflicted. Finally, her Giulietta was also seductively done. Achieving such a degree of differentiation and tone-colour in all roles marked out Ryan as a singer of considerable potential.”Four Heroines: The Tales of Hoffmann / Mid Wales Opera / Opera

“…the other female star of this Hoffmann, the young New Zealander Rebecca Ryan. I heard Ryan sing Lidka in Scottish Opera’s production of Smetana’s The Two Widows in August and noted at the time a clean, pure voice that lacked only a characterful part with which to display it. Well, with Offenbach’s three heroines (four if you include Stella) she certainly has that challenge! And Ryan met it with an impressive, well-controlled display of nicely varied singing. As Olympia, she took the coloratura pitfalls in her stride and I found myself excited by an exemplary account of that wayward aria! But it was in the following Antonia act that I really felt she blossomed, producing a stream of full, unforced tone that made me think that she will one day make a fine Mimi. Ryan articulates well and seems – on this evidence – to remain absolutely in control of the sound she produces – no waywardness or shrillness here. And this impression was only confirmed by the Giulietta act, where Ryan lightened her timbre and coped with the part (admittedly less demanding than Antonia) with ease. It was an impressive all-round performance.” Four Heroines: The Tales of Hoffmann / Mid Wales Opera / Musical Criticism

“The women in his life and stories are played by the versatile New Zealander Rebecca Ryan who excels in the roles of the mechanical doll Olympia whose mechanism goes awry, the singer Antonia who is forbidden to sing, and the scheming Venetian courtesan Giulietta.” Four Heroines: The Tales of Hoffmann / Mid Wales Opera / Seen and Heard

“…Rebecca Ryan’s Fauno squeezed every spark she could out of her character’s one big aria with terrific bravura.”Fauno: Ascanio in Alba / Classical Opera Company / The Times

“…The deluxe voice of soprano Rebecca Ryan exuded warmth in two extracts from Canteloube’s sun-drenched Songs of the Auvergne. The languid monotones of Bailèro seemed aligned with the richest segment of her range.”Canteloube: Songs of the Auvergne / RTÉ Concert Orchestra / The Irish Times

“As Micaëla, New Zealand soprano Rebecca Ryan was far from demure, and her warm tone and easy top were effective both in her tender duet with Don José and her spunky Act III aria.”Micaëla: Carmen / RTÉ Concert Orchestra / Irish Times

“Rebecca Ryan, making a welcome return to her native heath succeeded in bringing the lack-lustre character of Micaëla alive. It’s a long time since I heard her voice and I’m glad to report that it’s even more exciting than ever.”Micaëla: Carmen / University of Otago / Opera Opera

“…a rich and accurate soprano, with a remarkable evenness of tone throughout its considerable range…moreover, she sings with a smile on her face and in her voice. Ms Ryan carried off the first movement’s semi–quavers with almost arrogant ease and astonishing breath control.”Handel: Gloria / Royal Academy of Music / Evening Standard

“Matching both men for clarity and focus was soprano Rebecca Ryan who sang with warmth and delicacy, negotiating trills, tremolos and high notes with ease and zest.”Haydn: The Creation / RTÉ Concert Orchestra / Irish Times

“Soprano Rebecca Ryan dispensed assured coloratura in the “Et incarnatus est” from the great C minor Mass, her vocal radiance set off by the attractive siciliana lilt of the accompaniment.”Mozart Gala / Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra / The New Zealand Herald

“Rebecca Ryan’s voice was always good to listen to; her musicality held one’s attention. Her sensitive flexibility and ability to easily reach the highest soprano register were compelling. For someone still in the early stages of a professional career, this was an auspicious demonstration of musical intelligence.”Lunchtime concert / RTÉ Concert Orchestra / Irish Times